A federal judge has refused to free a former Colorado county clerk serving a nine-year prison sentence for attempting to breach election systems while trying to back President Donald Trump’s claims of fraud in the 2020 election.
Tina Peters, 70, the former clerk of Mesa County, was convicted by a state jury for her role in a scheme to access and expose voting system data. Earlier this year, Peters filed a lawsuit seeking release, arguing she was punished for her political speech. U.S. District Judge Scott Varholak shut that door Monday.
“Ms. Peters raises important constitutional questions concerning whether the trial court improperly punished her more severely because of her protected First Amendment speech,” Varholak wrote. “But because this question remains pending before Colorado courts, this Court must abstain from answering that question until after the Colorado courts have decided the issue.”
Peters is the only prominent Trump ally to wind up behind bars over 2020 election denial efforts, and she has become a cause célèbre on the right, drawing vocal backing from the former president.
Screenshot
“Tina is an innocent Political Prisoner being horribly and unjustly punished in the form of Cruel and Unusual Punishment. This is a Communist persecution by the Radical Left Democrats to cover up their Election crimes and misdeeds in 2020. The same Democrat Party that flies to El Salvador to try to free an MS-13 Terrorist, is cruelly imprisoning, perhaps for life, a grandmother whose brave and heroic son gave his life for America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in May.
“Colorado must end this unjust incarceration of an innocent American,” he added.
Despite the public pressure, Trump and the Justice Department have little sway over Peters’ fate. She was convicted on state charges, leaving federal authorities with limited leverage. The administration has tried, unsuccessfully, to have Peters transferred into federal custody.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has made clear there will be no relief from the governor’s mansion. The Democrat has flatly rejected any pardon or deal involving Peters, saying he would not take part in “any scheme to prevent her from being held accountable under Colorado law.”
Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>
, 2025-12-09 14:32:00, 
, Trending Politics Conservative Breaking News and Commentary, %%https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cropped-tp-fav-2-32×32.png, https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/feed/, jake
